Just Say No to AI: 100% Free and Human Created Read-Alike Lists

This post is part of a series entitled, "Just Say Not to AI." Click here to pull up all the posts in this series (in reverse chronological order). For the first post in this series, click here.

I used to confidently recommend people simply google to find readalikes for popular books, especially those catch us off guard buzzy books. For example, "readalikes for Theo of Golden."

Well in the current world, I cannot recommend that anymore and it is not just because the first responses are AI generated and cannot be trusted for a variety of reasons from ethical to that fact that  (most notably ]many of the results will turn out to be hallucinated. But, and I hate to write this, but I also do not trust other libraries to have created lists using their own brains.

I am hearing stories about and even seeing library trainers actually say that AI can do readalikes better than you staff. Their professional recommendation is to stop "wasting" time on readalikes.

This is flat out wrong. Readalikes done by a computer are bad. They match plot points not appeals. When trained humans do this work, that is where readers are connected with books they knew nothing about before we suggest them, books they fall in love with, books that bring them back for more and keep them reading.

My core training programs not only teach this, but I prove it both with myself and have the attendees prove it with their own reading throughout the course of the training itself. I show how reader's brains cannot be understood with algorithms. How what people like about a book cannot be plotted on a graph. And I illustrate how four people can describe four different version of the same book. 

And when we are talking about readalike for the buzziest of books (like Theo of Golden), we need humans helping readers on the ground to give us the titles our readers are clamoring for. I tend to go to Reddit first in these circumstances (as I wrote about here). This resource is the best way to crowdsource (from humans) an answer to a popular request.  Click this link to see a list of Reddit discussion with suggestion for fans of Theo of Golden. That is a google search but in which I include Reddit as a term and as a result only get Reddit results. There are MANY.

But there are other places where you can rely on humans to not only help you with readalikes, but also keep you abreast of the books for which you will need those readalikes.

Library Journal and LibraryReads work together every week to identify the books with the most holds across America and then offer readalikes for that title. I wish they had a landing page to get at this easier, but in lieu of that, I crafted a search at this link which will bring that rescue up in reverse chronological order.

Book Riot is also my favorite place for human created reading lists and suggestions for the buzziest of books. Their job is to literally provide the content their readers most want. As a result, if something is even slightly popular, they have a plethora of resources that allow you to help readers. 

Take this article with readalikes for Project Hail Mary as a great example. You get readalikes first and then at the end of the article links to other content they have created which you might also like. 

They do this for everything, all the time. Their lists are guaranteed to include marginalized voices. And they are paying humans to create this content. Please support it by using Book Riot as one of your first line resources-- not GOOGLE. Your support with clicks will keep them in business, meaning that the human knowledge stays free. (note: I know Book Riot has some content behind a paywall, but that is more directed at readers. For our purposes, what we need is free.) 

Finally, I do want to mention NoveList as an option. NoveList is also 100% Human created, but it is not free. They have people applying metadata to their titles using controlled, human created, language. They also cross reference various human created sources, and layer it all with lists and content written by their employees and contracted librarians. It is a database that is built on the work of humans. 

But even though NoveList has been around for a while, I am not going to lie, I have serious concerns about human created resources all ending up behind a paywall in the future. Like AI will be free but we are going to have to pay for humans. That will be a nightmare, and I don't think it is too far fetched for me to predict this with the way we are going now.

Just please, be careful. Be proactive as you provide "while you wait" readalikes for the most popular titles, but make sure the resources you use to identify those titles are made by humans.

What I'm Reading: April 2026 Library Journal

My April 2026 Horror Review Column is now live on the LJ site and in the current issue of the print magazine! 

In this post I have gathered the titles with my three words and links to my full draft reviews on Goodreads. Click on the titles for readalikes and more appeal information. 

First this month's 3 STARS: 

• I Know A Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours by 
  Nat Cassidy (
  dark humor, immersive, a road map to a singular voice)
• Dead but Dreaming of Electric Sheep by 
  Paul Tremblay (
  AI Horror, character centered, unique, disorienting (on purpose) and compelling narrative style)
• But I Won't Miss Me by Tiffany Tsao (maternal/body horror, slightly askew to our world, discomfiting)

And the other 5 excellent titles: 

• I'll Watch Your Baby by Neena Viel (physically upsetting, generational trauma of systemic oppression, possession)
  
• Interview with the author in this issue. Link will be added when it goes live online
• She Waits Where Shadows Gather by Michelle Tang (Spotlight on International horror lore, intense unease, dual points of view)
  
• Accumulation by Aimee Pokwatka (immersive, quickly escalating terror, haunted house)
  
• Dead Weight by 
  Hildur Knútsdóttir, Translated by Mary Robinette Kowal (
  revenge, unsettling first person narration, visceral)
• Abyss by Nicholas Binge (intense disorientation, Lovecraftian, Tech/corporate horror combo)
  

Becky's Genre Program Just Got Its 2026 Makeover

Once a year, always in late March or early April, I give my Demystifying Genre presentation a huge overhaul. It is very time consuming but necessary. The results can be seen at this link.

Exactly what do I do?

I use all of the resources, articles, and stats from the 12 months before to assess each genre (for adults and teens), look at the trends, assess what books were the most popular (not are right now, but those that have staying power) and update my slides.

Year to year, there are smaller changes, but I have been doing this actively since the Fall of 2004 when I started teaching the RA class at the graduate school. I am always surprised by what I have seen over that 22 year time span.

Entire genres have changed (psychological suspense), some have gone out of fashion and come back to popularity (westerns and gentle reads), and some have stuck around, barely, and now are in the spotlight (horror). Subgenres and trends come and go. I have watched Romance covers not share anything about the heat level inside, then be great at projecting that, and now back to telling us nothing at all. 

As you can probably tell, this is not an easy process but I love it. 

I am committed to this program helping every single one of you. The slides are their own resource. I list the genre characteristics and current trends. I also have book covers for titles to get you started-- with a full text list of said titles in the notes for each slide. This list is NOT comprehensive, rather it is representative. It includes titles from NoveList's curated lists, genre awards, the RUSA CODES Reading List, and genre overviews from Booklist and LJ, among other things.

While I give this program live, I ask the attendees to add to that starter list for each genre as I talk about it. 

But even if you don't have the live version of this program, I craft the slides so that each can be pulled up and used by you as you help readers. You can use what I write about the genre characteristics and current trends to help you have a conversation with a fan of that genre. You can also use the example titles to get a  sense of books and authors they already enjoy. The slides are your conversation starter for helping a reader who enjoys that genre. Then use what you have learned to make the resources (full list of which are linked in the program) work for you.

Please note, this program is the genre as it stands TODAY. There are NO dead authors. There is no mention of the history of the genre. That matters, of course, but that is not what this program is. Demystifying Genre is about getting library workers up to speed on how to help readers right now. I send you to other resources where you can find those classic options.

This year, I have also increased the Nonfiction overlaps and given you specific guidance on how to help those readers. 

This update will debut for the first time on April 13th for the State of Connecticut, but I will be giving it many more times this year still to come.

Please bookmark this link and use it to help your patrons for the next 12 months. Just remember, this is a starting point. I absolutely cannot include everything about every genre, nor can I include every title. This program is a tool for you to store in your toolbox of resources. 

Inclusion as the Norm: The Power of Diverse Book Displays via Lila Denning in RUSQ

Today I am sharing a post from Lila Denning's blog, Passively Recommending Books. Her article in RUSQ, a journal of Reference and User Experience is now live.

In her article, Denning talks frankly about why making all of your book displays as inclusive as possible is  not just about doing the right thing, it is literally your job to showcase as much of the collection as possible. She explains it in language that makes sense from every angle. You can argue this from an antiracist standpoint and an economic standpoint (getting the most checkouts of the most books which you have used taxpayer money on). And more.

And for those who are still making excuses that they cannot do this, a reminder,  Denning works in Florida and has put everything she talks about into action. So, if she can do it, what's your excuse.

(I have answers to that question but they are not kind to those of you who aren't doing this work yet, so I will leave them off this post.)

Click on this link or read below to access her blog post with access to the article. This is the argument you need to make your displays as inclusive as possible every single time (not just during heritage months).

RUSQ: A Journal of Reference and User Experience - Inclusion as the Norm: The Power of Diverse Book Displays

I was fortunate to have an article published in RUSQ. The Reference and User Services Association of ALA relaunched its journal in 2024. It's purpose is "... to disseminate information of interest to reference librarians, information specialists, and other professionals involved in user-oriented library services." In Vol 61, No 2 (2026) Winter Issue you can find my article "Inclusion as the Norm: The Power of Diverse Book Displays."

A pdf of the article is available online. 

I will quote from one paragraph here: 

" It centers a white, straight, Christian perspective as what is in “normal” books while making diverse books more of a niche interest, to be read by members of those communities and on special months. These books are not interesting or valuable because their authors and characters are diverse.  They need to be added to the displays, lists, and suggestions that are made to readers interested in a particular genre or topic. Moving who is centered in the culture of reading that is created in a library, allowing those who are marginalized to take center stage, even if a sign does not declare their identity, is actively promoting a culture of anti-racism. This active promotion does not require signage identifying the author’s characteristics to be actively anti-racist. These books are books that should be treated as titles to be potentially enjoyed by any reader. Deliberately developing a regular practice of adding diverse titles to all displays and lists both increase staff knowledge of those titles, creating more opportunities for them to be included in staff recommendations."

You can click here to head over to Denning's blog on your own or click on this link to access her article directly. 

ARRT RA UNconference: Play With R.A. on April 23rd in Wheaton, IL Plus Resources for ALL

Click the image to register

I am starting the week off with an announcement for people who live within deriving distance of the Chicagoland area. But don't worry, then I will get to resources for everyone.

The Adult Reading Round Table (ARRT) is having an in person, interactive UNconference centered around games. Not gamifying RA but games. Attendees will be playing games that will help them be better at connecting books with readers.

I love this idea and have spoken with on of the organizers. It is going to be a great time. I will be there. If you cab, I suggest you join us.

Click on this link or on the image above to register.

But as promised, I have something for the vast majority of you who cannot make it to Wheaton, IL. Please don't sleep on ARRT's free resources for any and all library workers. Click on this link to explore their website, but specifically, please checkout the following backlist bonanza of resources available all with a few clicks:

• Book Club Study Archive: Featuring notes on book discussions held since 2015. Click on the title to  reveal not only;y notes on the discussion, but also on the leadership discussion topic for that meeting. I am extremely proud of revamping the ARRT Book Discussion program before I left the Steering Committee to make this more like their famous genre studies. The fact that it is still going strong fills me with joy. This is THE place to go to see an example of how a discussion of a particular book went AND to find help for all of the common book club leadership issues and concerns which we all face, often alone.
• Genre Study Archive: The ARRT Genre Study program has been going on for decades but you can access notes going back to 2011. Noe genres change over time and what was "studied" in 2011-12 for Historical Fiction is NOT the same as how that genre functions with today's readers, but it is a great way to see how readers' tastes and preferences have changed over the years and you can find a few backlist gem suggestions.

Poke around on the website for more but these two landing pages are worth spending some of your time on as March comes to a close. 

And if you can make it to Wheaton, IL on Thursday, April 23rd, sign up to come play with RA. They already have my $20. I can't wait. 

RA for All Road Show Hits Chicago's Comic & Entertainment Expo (aka C2E2) and a Link to Signup to Get More Involved with HWA Libraries

I will be at C2E2, Chicago's Comic & Entertainment Expo all day today. First, I want to give a shout out Reed Pop for giving us presenters free tickets. 

Okay now on to my schedule.

I am on two panels. The first is as an author. It is entitled "The Thrill of the Chill: Turning Fear Into a Catalyst for Creativity." The description for the panel from their website:

Fear is no mind-killer. In fact, it may be the very thing that can drive you to the next level - at work, creatively, or in personal relationships. Join our panel of educators, librarians, and scientists as they discuss the way they actively master and weaponize fear in their creative and professional lives. This panel will talk about the nature of both harnessing and conquering fear as it is considered in writing, scientific research, and education and recommend titles for all ages.

We are in Room S402-B from 3:15-4. And then we will all be heading to the Andersons Books (Booth 163) for a signing. After that, I will be on the floor until I head to my second panel.

You can buy my book anytime during C2E2 from Andersons but I will only be on site Friday from about 2pm until 9 or 10 pm (see below's panel). I will sign any books and give you a sticker if you find me anywhere on Friday. You have my picture (below), but I don't have yours, so please, interrupt me. I know there will be many library workers and educators there today. I really don't mind if you stop me at any time, well except when I am actually on a panel, but seriously, I would love to meet you.

I should be with Cynthia Pelayo as we wander, making us a hard to miss duo. Cynthia will also sign any books you bring her. Come find us!

Here is the social media graphic (with alt text) for that panel.

Which leads to my second panel which is part of the C2E2 "After Dark" programming. I am appearing as both an author and a librarian for this one. It is entitled, "The Haunting of Daily Life: How the Real World Shapes Horror Fiction." The description of this panel from their website:

Horror isn't just about monsters, ghosts, and things that go bump in the night-it's rooted in the fears, struggles, and daily realities of ordinary life. From family tensions, social expectations to cultural memory and historic plagues, the genre transforms familiar experiences into unforgettable frights.

This panel explores how creators draw inspiration from real-world history and everyday situations to build stories that resonate, unsettle and reflect the world around us. Join authors, librarians, and horror enthusiasts as they discuss why everything from the mundane to historical events shape modern horror and how recognizing these connections can deepen the understanding of both the genre and ourselves

We are in the same room-- Room S402-B but this one is from 8-8:45pm. And here is the link to our slides.

I have a slide with all the panelist information (with alt text) below as well. I hope to see some of you there.

But before you go, on the final slide for our presentation, I also have a QR code leading to this Google Form:

Get Involved with HWA Libraries!

Are you interested in receiving updates from HWA Libraries or being more actively involved in the work we do? Submit the below form to be added to our mailing list and to be considered for our working groups when positions open up.

Please click this link whether you are attending C2E2 or not. If you are a library worker interested in staying up to date on what is going on int he world of Horror, well theh you NEED to add your name. At the very least you will be added to our HWA Libraries newsletter which will begin this Fall.

The Annual Shelf Care Podcast [via Booklist] Featuring Everything You Need to Know About Summer Scares

After a few days of more serious posts, today I want to focus on one of my favorite annual Summer Scares  resources-- our annual visit to Booklist's Shelf Care Podcast. We have a whole bunch of Sumerm Scares folks, including the announcement of New York Public Library joining our team as an official partner with Summer Scares. WOW!

See the full post here or below, including this link to access the audio.

Finally, click here to access the Summer Scares resource page, where you can find also find Summer Scares 2026 Programming Guide

Booklist's Shelf Care 

Booklist's bookish library podcast

Welcome to Booklist’s Shelf Care, where we bring all things readers’ advisory, collection development, and reference right to your earbuds. Hosted by Susan Maguire, Senior Editor, Collection Management and Library Outreach, each episode of Shelf Care will introduce you to rock star librarians, hot topics in publishing, and books you need to know from colleagues at Booklist.

Subscribe to Booklist’s Shelf Care on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app. 

Listen to the Latest Episode: 

Folks are probably well into planning for summer reading programs, so now is the perfect time to talk about Summer Scares! On this Episode of Shelf Care: The Podcast, host Susan Maguire talks to the folks involved. First, this year’s celebrity spokesperson, author Jennifer McMachon, joins Susan and readers’ advisory and horror expert Becky Spratford to talk about the adult and YA Summer Scares titles, and Jennifer’s journey from misfit girl to capital-H horror writer. Then, Booklist’s Julia Smith talks to Susan about the middle-grade Summer Scares titles. Finally, Susan sits down with HWA Library Committee co-chair Konrad Stump along with New York Public Library’s Allison Nellis and Kate Federiconi to talk about programming and NYPL’s best-of lists.

Here’s what we talked about:

(* indicates a Summer Scares 2026 title)

Readers’ Advisory survey (it’s quick!)

Summer Scares Resource Page (RA for All)

Summer Scares Middle-Grade Panel (March 12)

Summer Scares YA Panel (March 23)

Summer Scares Adult Panel (March 26)

*A Botanical Daughter, by Noah Medlock

*Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology, edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr.

*Maeve Fly, by CJ Leede

iRead Summer Reading 2026: Plant a Seed, Read

*What We Harvest, by Ann Fraistat

*Gorgeous Gruesome Faces, by Linda Cheng

*Our Shadows Have Claws: 15 Latin American Monster Stories, edited by Yamile Saied Méndez and Amparo Ortiz, illustrated by Ricardo López Ortiz

Stay Buried, by Jennifer McMahon (coming August 2026)

“Monster Girl: How Horror Gave Me a Place to Belong,” by Jennifer McMahon, in Why I Love Horror: Essays on Horror Literature, edited by Becky Siegel Spratford

*This Appearing House, by Ally Malinenko

A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness

*It Came from the Trees, by Ally Russell

*Garlic and the Vampire, by Bree Paulsen, art by the author

The Lion’s Run, by Sarah Pennypacker

Max in the House of Spies, by Adam Gidwitz

Max in the Land of Lies, by Adam Gidwitz

Summer Scares 2026 Programming Guide

NYPL’s Best New Horror for Adults 2025

Dollface, by Lindy Ryan

Headlights, by CJ Leede

Kiss, Slay, Replay, by Rachel Harrison

Japanese Gothic, by Kylie Lee Baker

Abyss, by Nicholas Binge

Thirty-Two Words for Field: Lost Words of the Irish Landscape, by Manchán Magan